Particle concentration and indoor air quality in mechanically ventilated isolation patient rooms-A field study in a hospital building in Espoo, Finland

In response to heightened concerns about indoor air quality in hospital buildings following the Covid-19 pandemic, and despite increased use of technologies like air purifiers to mitigate airborne infection risks, a knowledge gap exists in understanding indoor air quality within hospital patient rooms. A one-week measurement campaign at a hospital in Finland aimed to address this gap by assessing particulate matter concentrations in isolation patient rooms. Additionally, we used measured air flow rates for infection risk calculation. Measurements results indicated a significant reduction in PM2.5 I/O ratios (37% to 56%) with air purifier use. The measured airflow rates underscore discrepancies between the designed and measured values, thereby underscoring the importance of regularly assessing ventilation systems. The incorporation of air purifiers demonstrates the potential to rectify the disparities in air change
rates (ACH), aligning with the recommendations outlined by the Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) guidelines.